Til Death Do Us Part
by Danny Phantom SG-1
Summary: Danny and Sam are finally married, but Vlad comes and ruins their happy lives.


**Disclaimer**: Danny Phantom is owned by Nickelodeon, Viacom, etc...and was created by Butch Hartman.

**Author's Note**: Do I really believe Vlad would do this? No. But I needed a bad enough bad guy and he's my favorite so...can't have a story without him. Sorry for any hurt feelings or confusion this story may cause.

Also, I must credit the "Casper the Friendly Ghost" movie for the "ghosts have unfinished business" thing…;P

It is definitely NOT cannon. )

Just realized I need another note: Sam is Jewish. I know that now that I've seen the episode(s) that hint at that. But when I wrote this story, I did NOT know that. So…I think this story still works…maybe she converted to Christianity or getting married in a church was Will's idea or something. Take it however you want, but I don't think it would be wise to go back through and try to fix everything, now that I'm as happy as I'll ever be with it. Sorry if I offended anyone…I promise I never mean to. I'll try to be better next time. :)

'Til Death Do Us Part

"I'm so happy," Sam Fenton said.

It had been one week since her marriage to her boyfriend of six years and even longer-time best friend, Danny Fenton.

Now, she, Danny and Tucker were walking down the streets of Amity Park headed for the Nasty Burger.

"How was the honeymoon, guys?" Tucker asked slyly.

"TUCKER!!" they both yelled, blushing at his question.

"I know, I know. Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"You know, Tuck, sometimes I think you're never going to mature..." Danny said to his best friend.

"Mmmm...sure..." Tucker muttered, knowing full well that what Danny had just said completely contradicted the truth...

"Hey! There's the Nasty Burger," Sam said loudly, trying to change the subject.

"Race ya! Last one there's a rotten egg!" Tucker said joyfully.

"Nope...never going to mature," Danny murmured to himself, but found himself smiling and chasing after Tucker anyway.

Suddenly, halfway through running, Danny's ghost sense went off.

He stopped and turned around, causing Tucker and Sam to do the same (he was faster than either of them, thanks to his many years of ghost training, and was, therefore, ahead of them both).

It was Plasmius.

Danny looked around, careful to be sure no one was watching.

"I'm going ghost!" he said, as he transformed and flew up to meet his arch enemy.

"What do you want, Plasmius?" Danny said. It was always better to ask first with Plasmius, who seemed somewhat bipolar. One day, he wanted Daniel to join him and the next, he simply wanted to destroy him.

"Daniel. I've been thinking long and hard about what I want from you, and I finally realized that having you on my side would make no difference. You are currently the only thing that's stopping me from completely controlling Amity Park and getting the love of my life. If you were to be eliminated; there would be no need to fight; everyone would surrender to me."

"You're wrong, Plasmius, " Danny said. "People will fight you. My parents, my friends, Valerie; everyone."

"They don't have what it takes to beat me as you have on several rare occasions. Did you honestly think that I would give Valerie ghost weapons that would have an effect on me as well? Your parents and friends will be easily beaten."

"Okay, you know what? Let's stop talking and kick your butt." Danny said, tired of Vlad's long-winded drabble about destroying everything.

He raised his arm, feeling the ecto-blast build up in his hand, but before he could shoot, he noticed Vlad doing the same thing...only he wasn't aiming at Danny; he was aiming at Sam.

Danny's eyes went wide in shock as he silently begged Vlad not to shoot. Sam seemed stuck; too terrified to move from the spot where she was standing. Tucker seemed immovable, as well. It was probably some new power Vlad had been working on for the past month when Danny had not seen him.

"Let me give you a demonstration of how easy it would be to destroy your little friends, Daniel," Vlad said, knowing what Danny would do. His plan was working out perfectly.

In what seemed like slow-motion, Danny and Vlad shot their blasts at the same time. His went rocketing toward Vlad and Vlad's was speeding toward Sam. Danny had no time to think about what he was doing; on automatic reflex, he flew down in front of Sam just in time for the blast to hit him squarely in the stomach.

"Danny!" Sam screamed as she saw her husband get hit with a powerful ecto-blast.

Both he and Vlad fell to the ground, but Vlad seemed to recover, while Danny kept holding his stomach, cringing at the slightest movement.

Vlad walked slowly to stand over Danny, an evil smile growing wider at the sight of Danny's agony

"Do you like it, Daniel? It's something new I've been working on, as well as that 'sticking' power I've put on your friends. I have two of those kinds of ecto-blasts left; one for each of your friends. You see, it acts like electricity, sending ectoplasmic surges throughout your body that, if I've calculated correctly (and I usually do) will ultimately kill you."

Sam gasped. "No!"

Vlad looked to her. "Fear not, girl. You will be joining him soon."

Just as Vlad lifted his arm to shoot Sam, something strange happened. A gigantic wave of green energy emitted from Danny. No one had ever seen this power unleashed before, and Danny had no idea he could do it. It was like a ghost shield. It began to spread away from his body, and when it hit Vlad, he turned human again and seemed to drain all of his ghost powers, while doing nothing whatsoever to Sam and Tucker.

"Wh--what?" Vlad said, flabbergasted.

"Danny?" Sam asked, looking at him worriedly.

"I--I think it has something to do with this 'wave of ectoplasmic surges' going through me, affecting my powers. I just thought of doing anything to stop Vlad and...that happened."

It was then that Sam noticed she could move. Apparently, the wave had stopped all ghostly powers in its vicinity. She quickly grabbed the Fenton thermos that had been dropped in the fight and pointed it at Vlad.

"No--" he said.

"Shut up," she commanded him. "Now, un-do what you've done to Danny, or I will suck you up into this thermos and I swear I will NEVER let you out."

"I'm afraid that's impossible. There is no cure for what is happening to Daniel...I made sure of it this time," Vlad said darkly.

"Th--there has to be," she said, feeling the tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

"There is not," Vlad clarified, smiling the entire time.

"I wouldn't be smiling if I were you," Tucker said, walking over to Sam. "Once she sucks you up, your chances of 'ruling' are down the drain."

"Maybe my chances are, but you've no idea how many cohorts I have in the ghost zone. With the elimination of the ghost boy, they will be free to easily take over this silly little town and turn it into a haven for ghosts everywhere. I will be eventually set free by my ghostly friends."

"No one could possibly be friends with the likes of you!" Sam spat, and before he could say anything else she pushed the button on the Fenton thermos and sucked him into it.

"G--good going, Sam," a voice behind them said.

"Danny!" she yelled, walking over to where he lay convulsing on the ground.

"Could you do me a favor?" he said, looking at Tucker.

"Anything, man."

"Tell my parents everything. All of the secrets...the lies. Let the whole town know. They're going to need to know how to protect themselves from any ghosts that continue to come through the Fenton Portal," Danny said, shivering.

"Danny--don't," Sam said, grabbing his arm and putting her head on his chest and crying.

"I'm so sorry, Sam," he said, kissing the top of her head. "I didn't think this was going to happen...not this soon."

"Danny, don't die, please. Don't leave me," she said desperately. Normally, Sam was all in favor of the opinion that girls are as tough as guys and don't need anyone, but Danny was one exception in her case.

"I love you, Sam," Danny said quietly, breathing becoming a hard labor now and he felt himself turn back to Danny Fenton right before he passed out for the last time.

Sam and Tucker heard a large gasp behind them and noticed that half the town--including the Fenton's--had come out of their houses and the Nasty Burger to see the huge fight go down. Tucker would not need to reveal Danny's secret to his family after all. Danny had done so with his last act.

"Danny?" Sam asked, shaking him, trying to get him to wake up when she noticed he was no longer fighting to stay alive; no longer breathing.

"Danny, no! Please!" she cried and lay her head back down onto his now-unmoving chest.

Jack, Maddie and Jazz Fenton then all ran over.

"My--my baby! No!" Maddie cried.

Jazz and Tucker hugged each other for comfort, trying to suppress tears and surprising everyone at how apparently close they were.

"He--he was the ghost boy?" Jack asked Tucker quietly.

"Danny Phantom," Tucker said, automatically correcting Jack. No one would simply call Danny the "ghost boy" anymore. He was going to be remembered by his actual name.

The rest of the town stayed back, letting Danny Fenton's family and friends comfort each other at the sudden loss.

DPDPDPDPDPDP

If Danny had been at his own funeral, he would have been surprised at how many people came, Sam thought.

The Fenton's, Manson's and Foley's all showed up, as well as Valerie and her father. All of their former teachers at Casper High came, Mr. Lancer particularly seemed upset by Danny's passing. Dash, Paulina, Kwan and Star had all come. Once they found out Danny had been the ghost boy all along, they felt guilty about the way they had treated him when they were in school. Several people who had never even met Danny came, knowing the ghost boy had saved the town several times and they owed it to him to be there.

In fact, it seemed as though the entire town had showed up.

Danny had left everything he had to Sam. They had decided that the day they got married, they would leave everything to each other. Sam just didn't realize that one week after they made that decision, they would be needing to follow through with it.

When Sam got to their home after the funeral, she looked around. Everything reminded her of Danny.

She sat down on the bed in their room, buried her face into the pillow and cried herself to sleep.

DPDPDPDPDPDP

The week following Danny's funeral had been a rough one, so Sam's parents thought it best not to bring up the subject until the next week.

You see, the Manson's were high-class people who never did approve of their daughter's marriage to that Fenton boy, but she had seemed so happy, they just couldn't say no.

They doubted she had really loved him. After all, how could someone of her stature ever fall in love with...well...him? The same day Sam had announced that Danny had proposed to her, her parents had arranged a marriage to a high-class man they knew would take care of her, William Carter.

Needless to say, they had been disappointed, but happy for their daughter. They had been sure the marriage wouldn't last long--of course, they weren't expecting him to **_die_**, they just wanted them to realize they weren't meant for each other and break off the relationship.

In either case, though, the Manson's would have their way and they decided to tell Sam of their plan, even while realizing what her reaction would most likely be.

"All right," Sam said quietly, reserved.

"E-excuse me?" Her mother asked, confused. Never before had her daughter agreed to something without argument.

"I said all right. Whatever you want," Sam said calmly, looking her mother in the eye.

"O-okay, then. We'll contact him and tell him the marriage is on!" her mother said excitedly as she and her husband left the house.

Sam sat down again and sighed. Nothing mattered anymore. Her greatest love in all the world was...gone. At least getting married to this William guy would give her some company in this house that was too big for her alone anyway. She was already as miserable as she could possibly get and there was no way a marriage could make things worse.

So those were the reasons she gave Tucker when she called him and invited him to her wedding...again. Tucker was, obviously, taken aback and angry at her parents, saying that it was too soon to be thinking about marriage again. But, he knew how she felt and decided not to argue anymore. Yes, he would come to her wedding.

She hung up and looked at the phone warily. Should she? They were the only family that had ever shown her real love. But it would be so hard on her and them to see her walking down the aisle with another man...

She decided it wouldn't hurt anything to invite them anyway, so she called the Fenton's and, being as supportive as ever, they said of course they would come.

DPDPDPDPDP

One week later (two weeks after the death of her previous husband), Sam found herself getting dressed in another, more expensive, wedding gown. Her parents and Will had both chipped in for the $1 million dress. Her wedding with Danny had been much more simple...the way they both wanted it. But Sam agreed to the expensive dress. Simplicity reminded her too much of Danny.

She saw someone enter the room as she looked at herself in the mirror. She sighed. Time for her to get married.

DPDPDPDPDP

Just as the wedding precession started, a lone figure entered the chapel unnoticed and sat himself in the back pew.

As he settled himself, he noticed everyone else looking back. He began to panic, but then realized it was not him people were looking at. They were smiling. So, he, too, turned around to see Samantha Fenton in the most gorgeous wedding dress ever. Well, aside from the one at their wedding.

She wore a fake smile (Danny could tell her fake smiles from genuine ones) on her face as she walked down the aisle. She had put her hair up in a fascinating and complicated configuration. Danny smiled, knowing that simplicity had been their thing and it could belong to no one else but them. Danny got a good look at her new "husband". He was very tall with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. He had a deep British accent, as Danny could tell while they were saying their vows. He seemed gentlemanly enough...he guessed

When they finally kissed, Danny felt a sort of burning sensation deep inside of him. It was a mixture of emotions that he couldn't quite figure out, but it wasn't good.

After the ceremony, Danny sat outside on a rock in the garden. Everyone inside seemed cheery enough, though he had seen his own family and Tucker and knew they were faking joy as well.

"What in the name of ANYTHING are you doing here?" a voice came from behind him and he smiled recognizing it.

"Didn't think your best friend would miss your wedding did you?" he asked playfully without turning around, as Sam Fenton (now Carter) sat down next to him.

"Danny, I'm serious," she said.

He turned is eyes to her and the two lovers looked at each other for the first time since Danny's death.

They both grew teary eyed and Sam fell into him in a hug. Danny pulled her tighter in the embrace, never wanting to let go again.

"What happened?" she asked again.

"Well, I died," Danny said matter-of -fact-like.

She glared at him.

"I was going to continue, " Danny said, throwing his hands in the air. "Anyway, when I died, I ended up at Clockwork's place. Seems I owe him or something so I have to work for him now."

"So you've been there all this time and you never came to see me?" she asked, hurt.

"It's more complicated than that," Danny said quietly. "So, I died and became a full-time ghost--"

"Why?"

"I was getting there. Ghosts become ghosts because they have unfinished business or obsessions. I have unfinished business."

"Which is...?"

"To protect Amity Park and to pay back Clockwork." Danny said shortly. "I haven't had time to get away...and technically, I still don't. Clockwork doesn't know I'm here."

"I thought he said he knew everything."

"Oh...right. Well, he apparently doesn't care that I'm here, then. I did finish all my work for today."

"Why am I the only one who can see you?"

He smiled. "Because I made it that way. I didn't want anyone else to see me today."

There was an awkward silence.

"Um...William...he seems like a nice guy," Danny said through gritted teeth, not knowing what else to say.

"Oh, he is. He's real sweet," Sam said.

Danny nodded sadly.

"But nowhere close to you," Sam said quietly.

Danny looked up, a sadness still in his eyes.

"I have to go now," he said.

"Will I see you again?" she asked, not making eye-contact.

"I hope so," he said, kissing her cheek gently. "Take care of yourself, Sam."

As he turned and flew off, Sam felt a wave of sadness cross over her again.

"Sam? What are you doing out here, darling? Come in and enjoy party!" William told her gently.

She smiled weakly up at him and turned to go back inside

DPDPDPDPDP

About 9 months later, Sam sat in the rocking chair in her room holding her new baby boy.

"What should we name him?" William asked his wife softly as they stared down at their baby.

Sam didn't even need to think. "Daniel."

He smiled, "I thought you would say that."

Sam's parents has insisted that the baby be born in her own home. There was no need for all the hubbub of the hospital when they could just pay a doctor to come and deliver their grandson.

"I'm going to go talk to the doctor, okay?" Will said.

"Okay," she whispered, kissing him before he left the room.

"He is beautiful," she heard a familiar voice say and she smiled.

"Show yourself, Danny Fenton," she said as he made himself visible.

"Danny _Phantom_," he corrected. "I'm only Danny Phantom now."

He walked over and crouched down looking at Sam's baby.

"How long were you there?" Sam asked, not looking up from her precious bundle.

"I just got here about 5 seconds ago. I didn't hear what his name is," Danny said, hinting that he was curious to know.

"Daniel."

"What?"

"Daniel. We named him Daniel," she said.

Danny felt like he had been hit with a truck. "A-after me?"

"Yes."

He looked at the baby--Daniel. Tears welled in his eyes. Sam had named her baby after him.

He stared at the baby for a long time, then, suddenly, he looked up at her. "Sam, why aren't you happy?"

She was taken aback by his question. "What do you mean? Of course I'm happy."

He smiled sadly. "No; no you're not."

"What are you talking about, Danny?"

"I told you ghosts need obsessions or unfinished business to stay."

"Yeah."

"I've paid off Clockwork and I've made it so the Fenton Portal no longer lets out as many ghosts and my parents' house is fully equipped with everything they need to defend the town."

"So--so why haven't you...you know, gone to heaven or whatever?"

He sighed. "Because, Sam. I found I had another obsession. I needed to protect you and to make you happy. I can't leave until you're happy. What will make you happy?"

She felt tears in her eyes as she looked at him. "I would have been happy if you had never died."

Danny looked away, knowing that would be her answer.

"I love you, Danny," she said.

"I--I love you, too," Danny replied, not making eye-contact. Simply looking at her made his heart melt.

William, who had been eavesdropping, standing outside in the hallway throughout the conversation, could finally take it no more.

"Sam, what is going on?" he said as he walked into the room to see his beautiful wife talking to a ghost. But not just any ghost: Danny Phantom.

"That's impossible," he whispered. "Y-you're dead."

"Exactly," Danny said, not knowing how else to explain his presence as a ghost.

"William, please, I can explain..." Sam started.

"I--I just don't understand..." he said, holding his head. "You still love him?" he asked, remembering the exchange he had heard.

Both Danny and Sam looked at the ground. How were they going to explain this?

"Yes," Sam finally answered. "I do love Danny."

Will nodded his head slowly, still not believing any of it.

"But do you really love me, Will?" she asked.

"What?"

"Do you really love me? Remember, you've told me everything and I've told you everything, so I know your answer.. I need you to think very hard. Who have you loved more than anyone else in the entire world?" she said, hoping she was right; hoping she wasn't the answer.

Will closed his eyes, thinking back to his girlfriend, Sarah. When he had heard Sam was to be married to someone else, he thought it was safe to have one. They had been in love, but were forced to break it off when his parents told him his arranged marriage was back in order. He regretted that day forever after, but did not let it show in his marriage with Sam, who was indeed a wonderful woman...just not his Sarah.

"Sarah," he whispered truthfully.

Sam smiled triumphantly and Danny was dumbfounded. It had seemed to him that William had been taking very good, loving care of Sam. He thought for sure he loved her.

Sam walked over to Will and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We were never really meant for each other, Will," she said quietly. "And we both knew it. Meant to be friends, yes. The best. But never meant for love. We had our own loves."

He looked up at her. "So...what do we do?"

"We find Sarah."

"You--you want a divorce?" he said, not comprehending.

"I think the feeling is mutual and the marriage ends with no hurt feelings."

"But--but what about Daniel? What about the baby?"

"We're still friends, Will. We'll share him. He'll be fine as long as his parents are still friends. We both love him and nothing will ever change that."

Not able to watch Sam speak so lovingly to another man one minute longer, Danny said, "What's Sarah's name? I know where pretty much everyone lives. I'll take you to her."

"Sarah Livingston."

Danny smiled, "I know exactly where that is. I'll fly you there"

"F-fly?!?"

"Yeah, come on," he said, then looked at Sam, "I'll be back eventually."

As she saw them leave, Sam felt that same sinking feeling she had felt the last time he flew off. She didn't know if she would see her love again, regardless of his promise.

Danny flew Will over to a small apartment complex and dropped him in front of Sarah Livingston's door. He knocked and a small, skinny girl with messy blond hair cautiously opened the door.

"W--Will?"

"Oh, Sarah," he said, pulling her into a warm embrace, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered into his shoulder, shocked he was there. "But, how?"

He smiled, not letting go of her, "Sam and I decided that love is more important than our parents' thoughts of high status. We're getting divorced, but remaining friends. And Sarah?"

"Yes?"

"We might have a bouncing baby boy around the house occasionally, as well," he said, not knowing how to break the news to her that he and Sam had a child.

Sarah seemed overjoyed, rather than angry. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Will, that's wonderful. We can practice being parents...then we can have our own family...together.

"At last," he said, pulling her into a kiss.

Danny looked away, unable to watch such a loving scene, as it reminded him of the time he had with Sam; a time he could never have again.

DPDPDPDPDP

Six months later, the divorce was officially settled.

Sam was in her home, gently bouncing her baby boy until he fell asleep. At last, he did and she settled him into his crib.

"Hey," came a soft voice across the room.

"I didn't think I would see you again," Sam said, not looking up.

"I said I'd be back. I just...had some things to do with Clockwork."

There was a silence.

"I didn't see you at the wedding," she said.

"Whose wedding?" Danny asked, confused.

"Jazz and Tucker's."

"WHAT?!?!?" Danny said.

She looked at him finally, "You didn't know? He's your best friend and she's your sister and you didn't know they were dating?"

"NO!!! Neither of them ever told me!"

"They didn't tell me, either, Danny, but I'm not oblivious. Of course, I should have figured you would be."

Danny sighed, full of regret.

"I didn't mean it like that, Danny..."

"I know. But look I'm sorry I was so clueless to the fact that you liked me for so long. We could have been married longer, more happily. It's my fault," he said.

"No, Danny, it's not."

There was silence again.

"Why didn't you know about their wedding, but you knew about mine?"

"I told you. Making you happy is my ultimate goal. Tucker and Jazz getting married, as creepily happy as I am for them, doesn't have anything to do with your inner happiness."

"And I told you, the only thing that would make me truly happy is if you hadn't died."

"I can't change that!"

"Yes, you can!! For heaven's sake, Danny, you work for Clockwork! Go back and change it!" she said angrily.

"I tried," he whispered.

"What?"

"I tried to go back and change it...and for awhile I did. That's what I've been doing for the last 6 months! Trying to find a solution that would make you happy. As a result of that, though, I had to work for Clockwork again for a little while longer.

"But it didn't work, Sam. I messed everything up. Instead of me dying, you died. It was so much worse," he said softly.

"Worse for you, maybe," she said curtly, sill angry at him for not showing up for 6 months.

"No, Sam, it was bad. I was so upset after you died, I--I turned evil. I killed Vlad, then I killed everyone else because I was so enraged. It was...horrible," he said sadly.

She turned to him, eyes brimming with tears.

"So, if I had been the one to die, you would have---become evil?"

"Yes."

She had often wondered what would have happened if Danny hadn't jumped in front of the blast. Now she knew.

"So...what will make you happy?" Danny asked, desperately.

"I--I don't think I'll ever be happy without you, Danny."

Suddenly, a large swirling clock appeared next to Danny and Clockwork emerged from it.

"You, " he said, pointing at Danny, "were late for your meeting with me to finish paying back your debt.."

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry, Clockwork I got caught up in--"

"That's alright. Consider it paid back."

Danny let a huge breath go, relieved he wasn't in trouble and no longer had a debt to pay.

"And you" he said, pointing to Sam, "I know something that will help make you happier."

"Can you make Danny come back to life?" she asked uncertainly

"No. That is one thing that cannot be changed."

Both she and Danny hung their heads in defeat.

"Then, there is nothing you can do," she said softly.

"I doubt that," Clockwork said.

Then, he walked over the crib in which the baby Daniel lay.

Clockwork held his staff high above his head and brought it down hard to hit the baby.

"NO!!" Sam screamed.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?" Danny yelled.

Sam covered her eyes and heard a thud, but no scream. Shakily, she moved her fingers so that she was peering through them. She couldn't believe what she saw.

Clockwork's staff should have hit her baby, but it was lying on the mattress beneath him.

Baby Daniel was intangible.

"Wh--what?" she asked and heard Danny ask the same thing from where he was standing.

"Can you not think of any explanation as to why your child would be part ghost?" Clockwork asked Sam.

"No. I--he's never been around the Fenton Portal or anything. And William and I certainly aren't--"

She stopped, realizing the truth of the matter.

Danny turned to her with wide eyes, as he realized it at the same time.

"Neither you nor William are half ghost. But...I am," Danny said slowly and shakily.

Sam stood gaping at him.

Clockwork flew over to Danny whose jaw was nearly hitting the floor and stood behind him.

"How...did you know he was mine?" Danny asked.

"How many times do I need to tell you? I know everything."

Sam walked over to the crib and picked up the no-longer-intangible baby Daniel from the crib. She walked him over to Danny and smiled the widest, most genuine smile he's ever seen.

"He's yours, too. Why don't you hold him, Daddy?" she said, giving her son to his rightful father to hold.

Danny held the baby and looked down. Tears blurred his vision. It was his. His and Sam's.

The parents stood closer together, holding Daniel between them.

"He was right, Danny. I'm happy now. I'll always have a piece of you with me. I'll take good care of him. You can go, now," she said, her voice cracking.

Danny suddenly felt somewhat dizzy and handed Daniel back to Sam to be sure not to drop him.

But nothing happened.

"Clockwork," he said slowly, "Sam's happy. Why am I not...you know...ascending to heaven?"

"Because," Clockwork said, smiling, "Now you have more unfinished business. You must be a father to your child. It's no longer about what Sam wants that's holding you back. It's what YOU want.

"You still owe me for this information, though," Clockwork said. "You can work for me again."

Danny just smiled, not knowing what to say.

"There are, however, restrictions on ghosts. If you exceed these restrictions, you'll end up evil, wanting to conquer the human world, just like your nemeses Johnny 13 and Ember, to name a few. They broke these rules and became different from who they were when they died. You may only be come of the ghost zone for one week per month; no more or things could go horribly awry."

"Oh, Danny, that's wonderful! An entire week with you every month" Sam said happily. "Will and I get Daniel every other week...oh my gosh! Will! What am I going to tell him?!?"

"The truth," Danny said.

"But--but what will he do? He thinks Daniel is his son."

Danny sighed. "In a way, he still is. He and Sarah have been taking good care of him. He loves Daniel, and nothing is going to change that."

Sam smiled as well.

"Well, come, then, Danny. You can come back in two weeks and be the father you were meant to be," Clockwork said, making a portal for he and Danny to go back to the ghost zone.

Danny looked at Sam and at the baby--_their_ baby.

"I love you, Sam Fenton," he said, then pulled her into a passionate kiss.

And in that kiss, Danny and Sam felt connected with each other again. Cold met warmth, death met life, and love conquered all, in a paranormal sort of way…

As they pulled back, Sam felt tears--tears of joy--in her eyes as she said, "I love you, too, Danny Phantom."

And, this time, as he flew off into the portal, it wasn't a sinking feeling she felt.

"I'm so happy," Sam Fenton said.

THE END


End file.
